5 Most Important Things to Remember During Texas Dove Season
The following is a video transcript.
Welcome to this episode of Base Camp. Today, we’re going to be talking about the five most important things to remember during dove season.
#1: Get a license.
In order to hunt migratory birds in Texas, you must purchase a hunting license. Hunters born after September 2, 1971 must have successfully completed a Hunter’s Education course. In addition to your license, be sure to get your HIP certification. The Harvest Information Program is used by Texas Parks and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife to generate estimates which helps these agencies manage wildlife populations.
#2: Know the area you’re hunting.
Due to the large size of Texas, the area is broken up by three different zones: the North zone, the Central zone and the South zone. Knowing where you are hunting is essential to knowing the dates you are able to hunt. For instance, the North and Central zones both allow hunting starting September 1st, while the South zone doesn’t begin until September 14th. The South zone also includes a special White-wing Dove days for a select few days in September. Before you head out to hunt, be certain of the zone you’re in.
#3: Know your limits.
The daily bag limit for dove in Texas is 15, with a maximum possession limit of 45. Broken down, that means that you’re only allowed to harvest 15 total birds per day, not per half-day, not per outing, but 15 for the entire day. Possession is different than your daily bag limit. Let’s say you’re on a five-day hunt, and you intend on bringing home your doves. Despite the daily bag limit of being 15, you can’t have 75 doves on you at once. The total amount of doves you are able to have with you, at any given time, is 45. Also remember to keep your doves in a clean and edible condition at all times.
#4: Know your birds. There are eight different types of dove species in Texas, and only three are considered legal game birds. The most common dove hunted is the Mourning Dove. You should familiarize yourself with the different types of doves, as you could find yourself in trouble with the law if you can’t tell the difference.
#5: Keep track of time.
As a rule of thumb, you should only start hunting 30 minutes after sunrise, and stop hunting 30 minutes before sunset. There are many apps and websites you can use to determine the sunrise and sunset for your area.
So there you have it. The top five most important things to remember during dove season.
Please comment below and let us know what you think the most important things are to remember.
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